KING’S CHAMBERLAIN

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 March 1935, Page 3

KING’S CHAMBERLAIN

CHARGES OF FRAUD.

STOCKHOLM, February 1

A sensation was caused here this evening by the announcement that King Gustav had dismissed Bdroii Niels Frederick Stiarnstedt from his posts as Chamberlain to the Royal Court and to Prince Carl, the second brother of the King and father of the Queen of the Belgians. The Baron was arrested late last night on charges of embezzlement. The sum involved is said to be £5,000. Questioned by the police the Baron is said to have at once confessed that since 1926 ho had been embezzling money from the funds of the Royal Order of Seraphim, the highest Order in Sweden, and also from Prince Carl’s accounts.

Ho is said to have put the sum at over £3,000, but the police allege that it will exceed that amount, as they state that £2,000 is missing from Prince Carl’s accounts and £3,000 from those of the Royal Order.

Although not confirmed by the police, it is said that the sum embezzled was paid in early yesterday morning by friends and relatives of the Chamberlain, but that the King himself heard of the affair and told his Chamberlain that he must report the fact to the police. The affair,is said to have first arisen through a recipient of the Order receiving a second application for a fee which he is stated to have already paid. Among details of the Baron’s alleged confession are:—Discounting in a local bank a bill for £550 drawn by a Stockholm architect for the purposes of repairs to a building owned by the Prince, and accepted on behalf of the estate of the Prince; and Raising in another bank, in the name of the Prince, a loan for £l,OOO, but converting the money to his own purposes. Baron Stiernstedt, who is 51, is a member of a Stockholm firm of solicitors. He had been treasurer of the Order of Seraphim since 1924. The King is Grand Master of the Order, which dates from the 13th century, and membership of which is confined to the Royal Family and 32 Swedish and eight foreign notables.